Summary
Far Cry 7’s has played host to a variety of rumors and leaks over the last nine months, but none have been more explosive nor consistently divisive as its rumored time limit. In September 2023, Insider Gaming reported thatFar Cry 7will feature a 72-hour time limitin-game, which translates to roughly 24 real-world hours. The title will seemingly task players with completing a non-linear narrative within these 72 hours, though it is currently unknown what happens if they fail. WhileFar Cry 7’s rumored time limit will place fans under a lot of pressure, the title needs to pressure more than the player to make the most of its central mechanic.
Far Cry 7’s time limit hasn’t been confirmed, but that hasn’t stopped the feature from becoming one of the most talked-about topics in gaming. If true, the concept would upend much of what drove previous entries in the series, as players were set loose to explore a large open world and deviate from the campaign at will. WithFar Cry 7’s rumored time limit, players would need to change the very core of their approach to the title’s world, missions, and unlockables. While this could work to make the title feel original and different than what came before, this limit will feel artificial if developer Ubisoft doesn’t extend its impact beyond the players themselves.
Far Cry 7’s Time Limit Should Extend to its Open World
Far Cry 7’s rumored time limit may risk feeling like a gimmick if its presence isn’t felt throughout the title’s open world. Exploration, side missions, and secret unlockables are a mainstay oftheFar Cryseriesand the next entry’s rumored time limit threatens to disrupt these central concepts.Far Cry 7players will be more focused on its mainline missions than ever before as the title’s newfound sense of urgency flips the status quo. However, a sense of balance can be restored if Ubisoft’s time-based approach is felt beyond the main narrative.
Far Cry 7should make it clear that the urgency of its narrative extends to its NPCs. As the player traverses the title’s open world and meets quest-givers, merchants, and allies, their respective roles and availability should be time-restricted as well. Specific side missions and vendors could only be available during certain windows of the overall 72-hour in-game clock, forcing players to approach the order in which they completenon-linear narrativemissions or regions more purposefully. What’s more, players will only be capable of obtaining a limited number of allies and items within a single playthrough, giving the title more replayability and opening the door to a greater variety of secret unlockables.
Far Cry 7’s Time Limit Needs to Apply The Right Kind of Pressure
Far Cry 7’s time limit is a new concept for the franchise, but the mechanic has a long history of application in the gaming medium. Various titles, including The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask, Unsighted, and Pikmin, all task players to complete the central narrative under a strict deadline. To succeed,Far Cry 7needs to emulate the approach these titles took, using its deadline to embolden its unique world and story rather than drive the whole experience. By applying the right kind of pressure,Far Cry 7’s rumored time limit can represent a much-needed evolution toUbisoft’s open-world formulaand provide a boon to one of its most popular franchises.
Far Cry 7’s rumored time limit can evolve Ubisoft’s open-world formula, provided they take the right approach!
Little is actually known aboutFar Cry 7,despite an abundance of widely circulating rumors. When the title is formally announced, there’s no telling how, or if, its rumored time limit will present itself within the narrative and environment. Fans are hopeful thatFar Cry 7’s time at the center of the industry’s rumor mill will be over soon, with Ubisoft finally revealing the title to the public. Luckily for fans, that reveal may come quite soon, as Ubisoft has been confirmed as a partner forthis year’s Summer Game Fest, which will unveil a host of major titles later this week.
Far Cry 6
WHERE TO PLAY
Play as Dani Rojas, a local Yaran and become a guerrilla fighter to liberate the nation. Welcome to Yara, a tropical paradise frozen in time. Far Cry 6 immerses players into the adrenaline-filled world of a modern-day guerrilla revolution.
